An electronic circuit which provides electrical power to a load, e.g. a voltage regulator such as a low-dropout (LDO) regulator, may comprise a bypass switch in order to provide a direct link to the supply voltage VDD of the electronic circuit. Such a direct link may be beneficial for increasing the reaction speed of the electronic circuit subject to a load transient. The bypass switch may be in a situation where, due to external conditions or due to nonlinear conditions such as a bypass mode, a regulation device of the electronic circuit (e.g. an intermediate amplification stage) is fully opened in order to try to regulate the output voltage of the electronic circuit. As such, the bypass switch may be in a state of maximum current capability also known as a state of lowest resistance, regardless of the actual loading situation of the electronic circuit.
If an external event causes a “short circuit”, which is a low-ohmic low inductive connection to another node, while the bypass switch is in a state of lowest resistance, a situation may occur where a significant current is drawn directly from the supply voltage VDD of the electronic circuit. It is desirable to limit or to interrupt such a short circuit current through the bypass switch, as the bypass switch and/or a power supply which provides the supply voltage may be damaged by substantial short circuit currents.